Assigbtok to dahl autocoaster cob



2 Shqets-Sheet 1 C. DAHL VEHICLE PROPELLING DEVICE Orlglnal Flled July 14 1920 Marsh Q9 1926.

JZS s 1March 9 1926. Re; 16,291

c. DAI-1L VEHICLE PROPELLING DEVICE Original Filed July 14, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mess Reissued Mar. 9,1926.. 'i

Y Re.` 16,291'.

' CONRAD DAHL, or CHICAGO, ,I`LL1No1s,-

ASSIG'NOB,` T0 DAHL AUTOCOASTER COR- y lPQIR'A'IION, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORORATION OIF-.ILLINOISl VEHICLE` PROPELLING. `DEVICE@ `original No, `11,368,610, dated February 15,;1s2i, serial 396,202, filed July 131',I 1920. Application for n lreissue filed February 3,

To all 'whom it may conce-WL:

Chicago, in the county of` Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful f Iniprovenientsfin vVehicle Propelling `f DevicesVof which thefollowing is a specificaing drawings, forming apart thereof. Tvhevpurlposeof thisl invention 1S `to 'provv1de a novel andimproved mechanismlfor j propellinga vehicle', particularlydesigned to be occupantfoperated. It consists in the elements and features of construction'shown and described, as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings: i, .i

Figurel is .a plan view of astructureem `bodying this invention, details of the steering means which are nota part of this particularinvention, being omitted.V -c Y Figure `2 i'sja side elevation ofthe same with wheels atone side'removed anda part ofthe frame at that side broken away'to Figure A"7 is a rear elevation of the` partsr shown lin Figure 6. y l

Figure 8 is a section at the'line 8 8, on

Figure 6.,

.Figure Figure' 4.,

9 is a sectionA at the line, 9 9, on

4prises a` frame structure consisting-of longitudinal side bars, 1, 1., divergent rearwardly,

and rigidly connected together at front by,

across tie, 2, and a front axle, 3, and 'at the rear by the rear axle, 5, and the seat, `35, so as to make a rigid open frame hav-` ing a trapezoidal` opening widening from front to rear. vAs shown in the drawings, the vehicle is represented asv a wheeled vehicle, having rear carrying wheels, 4, 4:, mounted on spindles, 5, 5, of an arch axle,

. forthe head hereinafter described, of the i avoid obstructing the View` of the remainder;

1923,. serial up. 516,801.

, 1 5, under whose arch the operating laz'ytong's Be it knownthat I, CONRAD DAHL, a citizennof lthe United States, residing at mounted inany customary manner for this purpose, and vprovided vwith any desirabley steering means notshown, but designed to ,tion,"reference being had tothe accompanyble operating connections, notshown, lead# V ing tothe steering wheels respectively.

At the orwardjend of the frame thereis i provided 'carried on the longitudinal side bars, Aa vvertically-extended fulcrum bearing operating mechanism, saidfulcrum bearingA consisting of vertical cheeks', 8, 8, secured to the inner sides of the longitudinal sidel bars,r 1, 1, respectively, and connected at `their upper andi lower ends by transverse tie plates, 9,'9.r In these transverse 'tie plates there is vertically pivoted a head forthe operating devices. AThis head consists of two verticallylpositioned parallel plates, 10, 10,. spaced apart and .secured together' at their upper Aends by a foreandaft extend` ing member comprising two parallel plates, 11', 1 1, spaced apart by an interposed block, 12, allusecured together and secured to the upperends of the plates, 10,10, by bolts, 13, taking through all said parts. The lower ends-of the plates, 10, 10, are thoroughly spaced apart and"secured together by a block, 14, secured by bolt-s, 13, 13. The two blocks, 12 and 14, projecting forwardly from the vertical plates, 10, 10, are spaced apart` verticallyI by the length of said plates, 10,

10, sothat they fit betweenv the two tie bars, 9, 9, of the up-right fulcrum supports above described; and they serve as a means ot y c i pivoting the head to said fulcrum supports 'The vehicle shown in 'the drawingscom# which is effected by means of a single vertical pivot bolt, 15, inserted through tie bars, 9, 9,*and the intervening blocks, 12 and 14. The two plates, 11, 11, extend rearward from the upper end`sof the plates, 10, 10, be-

ing atftheir rearwardly-extending portions spaced apart l'by the widthfof the block, 12,

be understood, the number maybe greater,

In.y thev structure shown 'inthe drawing@V the ground'v engaging member comprises a ground wheel, 20, journaled in a fork, 21, the fork being connectedby links, 22 andl 23, with the two lever members of therear: lever-couple of the 4lazy-tongs. Byconnecting the forkv by the two links described to the twolever members of saidcouple, `the same effect isobtained as if'the 'connection were made to .the final pivot of the lazytongs, andthe connecting-part were guided in alinement with the five middle pivots of the lazy-tongs; that is to say, the point of connection with theV ground-engaging member is kept alined with said five middle pivots, or what maybe calledthe axis of the lazy-tongs, throughout vall inclination o r changes of inclination ofthelatter. The height of the ground-engaging-member from its point of engagement with the ground to the connection which, as'above explained, is atV all times alined with the axis of the;

lazy-tongs, is considerably less than thel height abovev the ground of the pointV atI which the initial pivot of the` lazy-tongs is` Y mounted on the bars, 11, 1l; sothat lthe lazy-tongs is normally inclined down rear.-

ward, and certain portion ofv its weight is added to that of the groundengaging mem- Der for effecting engagement by gravity of said member with the ground, as necessary Ain order to effect the propulsionrinl the. ,manner indicated. The groundwheel fork,

21, is pivotally connected with the, links, 2,2, 23, attheir ownvpivot joint, so that the. lazy-tongs -at its rear end tends to fallfrom a` position ,at1 which the ground wheelA fork is'erect over the wheelaxis, to lean said; fork forward or rearward according to the directionin whichjthe fork may be first -inclined to the slightest extent either way from the vertical plane, and obviously it willc0ntinue to fallY inv the direction inwhichA it starts until arrestedbythe encounter of partsmoving inhalonguthepath `of said fall. To effect this, stoppage, andat the. same time to act as allockgupon the ground-engaging wheel seas,- to render it an effective means for engaging the ground for propulsion, the lower'of the two links, 23,

. tively..

carries abrake shoe, 2 5, positionedc'-fo1- coming into contact with theperiphery of the ground wheel, 20, when the fork, 2l, is inclined-rearwardly so as: to standatga-,Somef I what'obtuseangle to the a-xispf the lazytongs as seen in Figure 2. For actuating the lazyftongsto extend it rearward and thereby f propel the vehicle forward, there is provided anoperating lever, 30, having at its upper end'a cross-bar handle, 31, and forked at its lower part (and if desired, throughout the lengthk as shown), to stride the lazy-tongs, the two fork arms beingnen-l gaged` with anxintermediate pivot off the` lazy7tongs in theline of the axis, as shown intlie drawings, the second of4 these pivots..

being thus engaged.k Thefork extendsV to a suitably low point to permity its connection by means oflinks, 30, 30, frornthe two forkY arms respectively, extending upy forwardly for connection at theirupper forward ends to the vertica'tlbars, 10, 10,"re'spec-` crumpsupport for the lower kend of the fork-operating lever, vpermits the lazy-tongs in its extension rearwardly to follow :any path determinedby the relative position of the ground-.engaging wheel and the Vframe, as the positionv of the latter is determined by the ground upon which the carrying wheels ridegthat is, `so that without regard to irregularity of the ground along they track along which the vehicle is propelled, the ground-engaging wheel may maintain its ground engagementr wheels rest upon the ground at higher or lower position, according to the. irregularities in the track. It will be observedthat the pivotal connection of the` initial-pivot ofthe lazy-tongs of the'frameiis sovmuch higherthan its connection with the` ground-i engagingV member (the fork 2l) that-under any conditions of regularity or irregularity cle moves forward alongV the ground with respect to the. ground engagement; and lthe amount ofl change ofinclination of the lazy,- tongs axis-which is effected by thel extension of the. lazy-tongs to about onefhalf the distance to which it can be extended, orl sub'-V stantially to tlreposition shown in dotted" line .in rFigure 2 'is enoughtobring the fork, 21h-which` by reason ofthe engagement of. the brake shoe with the, groundwheel, as.`

shown in full line inFigure 2, cannot have its angle to the axisv of theA lazy-tongsA re. duced by the rearward extension ofthe lazyf tonga-up to or past an erect position; andA upon reaching this erect position, it`v will be seen that the. forkwill fall forward,-A

while the carrying practicable, the will approach the This-provision of a suspended fulas shown in dotted lines at vthe rear part.'

` of Figure 2, releasing the brake from the ground wheel, leaving itl free to roll on the ground, as the vehicle, under the momentum` 4Upon the frame there is mounted a riders "seat, 35, which constitutes a hood under which the lazy tongs is projected in its rearward extension; it being designed that the occupant operator shall sit with spread feet striding thelazy tongs at its collapsed position, and that in extension it will runl back betweenhis knees as he sits supported by `the seat. This would be the normal position of the operator in any event, because it is designed that the vehicle shall be steered by means of the foot pedals, 7,-at opposite sides, as above indicated. i 2

Upon the ground wheel fork, 21,'falling forward. `to Athe position shown in therear part of the'outline ofFigure 2, as above described, it is arrested vand prevented from falling farther forward, as shown, `bya cross pin, 24, set thro-ugh the upper end of the wheel fork in position to collide with the upper link, 22, at the forwardly inclined position of the fork shown in `dotted lines in Figurej2. Upon the return rocking stroke of the ope-rating lever, 30, the lazy-tongs will be retracted 4to closed position while the vehicle travels forward under the impulse of the `initial propelling movement,

and in this return forward movement it will be seen that the fork, 21, is tilted up to and slightly vpast' erect position, by ,theA pln,

` consequently upon the spreading of the links, i 22,"due to the fiattening of thelazy-tongs lever couple in the collapsing movement, whereupon it will fallrearward 'until arrested by the lodgment of the brake shoe upon the periphery of the vground-wheel `as shown in full lines at the `forward endof Figure 2; and thereupon, the ground wheel being locked, willoperate `as a ground-engaging member, and the device is ready vfor repetition of the propelling vmovement given by the operator pulling the operating lever, 30, rearward. i

The detail construction of the brake which constitutes the lock for the Yground wheel, is seen in` Figure 5, thevbrake shoe, 25, being formed with a longitudinal rib, 25a, which is engaged and bolted fast between the two lower lins, 23, connected to the lower lever members of the rear lever-couple of the lazy-tongs.

In the lazy-tongs construction as shown,

the lever members are alternately made 24, encountered by the vupper links, 22,

one member being pivoted between two bars of theI next preceding members. Following` out this particular method of construction, it` resultsthat the lower' of the links, 23, is double-, that is, it comprises two bars be? tween which the lower lever member of the final couple of the'lazy-tongs isclasped, and the upper vlink, 22` is single, being itself' clasped between the two `bars of the upper member of saidfinal couple; and said two links lare similarly related to each other,- that is, the vupper link being a single bar is emlbraced between the' two bars of the lower The ground wheel fork,21, by reason o't' having its fork arms suiiiciently spread to admit the ground wheel of suitable width between them, this width being greater than the y three thicknesses of the bars lapped side by side at the junction ofthe upper and `lower links, 22, 23, has spacers, 27, 27, inter-y posed' between the two bars which constitute ythe 'zfork arms at their upper part where theyy constitute the stem of the fork, and the bolt, 28, which secures the two fork armsl together engaging between them the three lappedends of the links, 22, and 23, and the spacers, 27, serves as a pivot for connecting the link, 22, andlinks, .23-23 to the. fork, while the bolt, 24,' which extends across the space between the bars, 21, for completing Vthe securement of the two bars rigidly together to form the stem of the bolt, serves as the pin above described for arresting the forward-falling movement of the fork arml which occurs-at the extended position of the lazyftongs, as shown in the rear part of Figure 2 and is above described.

For the purpose of. adapting the entire vehicle to be lifted and carried, its most ob` vious use being as a childs cart of size which could be thus vhandled,-there is provided a removable locking pin, v,32, for which a hole is provided in the operating lever at a point at vwhichthe latter crosses and extends ,in front ofthe front lever-couple of thevlazy-tongs at the fully collapsed or contracted `position of said lazy-tongs as seen in Figuret. By swinging the lever forward `securely together-in the most compact con-.

dition with the ground-engaging wheel lifted from the ground, and may be easily carriedv by hand. y

- I claim i s vLA vehicle ,propelling device, 'comprising in combinationA with a vehicle frame, a movement-multiplying multiple lever system having its initial pivot at an elevated fixed position on the vehicle fra-me, and trending thence rearward with freedom for up-avnddown movement at its rear end; a groundengaging membercarried by the rearmost operating member of saidlever system, and

operati-ng mea-ns `engaging-:an intermediate pivot of the lever system for rearward movement of said pivot.

V2. A vehicle propelling dev-ice comprising in combination' `with a: yvehicle jframe, ar lazytongs lever systemhaving its members in a vertical plane with the initialfpivot on afixed forward part of thevehicle frame, the lever system trendingthence rearward with freedom: for up-and-down ymovement at its rear end a ground-engaging'member carried by a rearwardly. situated-*pair of the lazy-tongs members, and yoperatingmeal-1s for applying the rearward thrust for propulsion of the.-vehiclevengagingra rearwand-ly situatedpair ofsaid; lazy-tongsmembers situated: forwardly of that which carries the ground-engaging member.

.3. In the construction delined ingclaim 2 foregoing, the ground-engaging Vmember comprising a wheel locking means for-said wheel, and means for releasing the wheel from the locking means ati a. certainfstage in the extension of. the lazy-tongs.`r i

4. In the construction defined in. cla-im 2, foregoing, the ground-engaging member comprising a wheel Aand its bearing member;r

means extended from the pairof' lazy-tongs members which carries the vground-engagin'g member for pivotal connection with the wheel-bearing member, said wheel-'bearing member being pivotally connected to said means; a Vwheel-locking device carried by the organization comprising the lazy tongsand said means for locklng vengagement with the Wheel when the wheel-bearlng member is inclined up rearWa-rdffromkthe Wheel'aXis to the pivot of the Wheel-'bearing member,

and for disengagement when said lwheelbearing member reaches erect position.

5. In the construction definedv .in claim 2 foregoing, the ground-engaging member comprising a wheel anda bearing member there-for; coupling means from the lazy-tongs to the bearing member, consisting of fa' lli-'nk fromV each of the Alever members'of the pair of lazy-tongs members Awhich carries the ground-engaging member, both links extended and pivoted-atacommon pivot line to the bearing member, anda wheel-locking means carried by one'of said links `for lockingl engagement with the wheel at the rearwardly-inclined position of the bearing member.

6. In the construction defined Vin claim' 2, foregoing, the operating means being alever having its lazy-tongs engagement intermediate its ends; a link which connects the Ward,.fan d having the lower end of the operating lever at `its-lovver rear end.

g 8*. In: the construction deine'd in V Vclaim 2 ioregg'lilig,,` the fra-Ine comprising fore-andaftf-exending1bars and. cross. ties connecting them rigidly,.said bars beingjdivergent from front tov-rear uprightsfrigid with said. bars, cross `ties. connectingV said'` luprights at` their uppercand lower' ends; a. head vertically pivoted in said.. cross tiesand,having its initial pivot onsaid head; said operating means comprising atfrfork which-stridesthe lazy-tongs forpivotal connection with one of the intermediate pivots of the lazy-tongs, and. apair of-:li-nks connecting the lower ends oftheiorkgarms with the.-hea;d,lthe upper end yof thefgforks being positioned to serve as an operating, handle. Y

=9.I.n `lle-construction definedin claim 2 foregoing, thev frame comprising `longitudinal side bars divergent rearwardly; a vertically-extended fulcru-m support at the Yforward; Apart of` said side bars; ahead vertically gpivoted-in -said support, the lazy-tongs havingits initial pivot. in said head.; the

operatingtmeans comprising a forked leverk 2, =the-operatingmeans being forked yto stride;

the ylazy-tongs and the' forkopening extending higlrenough to. permit thej lazy-tongs .to

`pass bodily through it `when the lever is swung to most. collapsed 4position of the lazytong-s. and meansj for engaging the lever -in Jfront ofthe lazy-tongs at that position, for holding the lazy-tongs collapsed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Ivllinois, 1923.

CON RAD DAHL. 

